Night Illusions
by bornfromlight24
Summary: This story is based off of the Dark hunter series. A young woman names Silvia runs into a dark stranger fighting in an ally. She jumps in to help a young girl and stumbles into his haunting secret.
1. Chapter 1

Silvia sighed as her drink spilled onto her jeans. "Damn!" She said while jumping out of her seat to grab some napkins from the nearest table. "Why is it that every time we go out clubbing I end up spilling something or tripping over someone." I said to Ashley.

"I don't know. Maybe you're just born with the gift of clumsiness. But right now I'd die for that gift cause every time you jump around when you're wearing that top and jeans you get checked out by any guy standing close you." She laughed. I gave her I dirty look before I grabbed my purse to head to the bathroom and salvage what was left of my favorite jeans.

Moving accost the dance floor I tried to avoid the swaying bodies as best I could. Unfortunately someone bumped into me and I dropped my purse. It went flying across the floor and slid under the nearest table. I scowled before heading over to retrieve it. Yeah, my bad luck just kept on coming, and knowing how the last time I came out with Ashley went, I would probably end up embarrassing myself in front of some guy I knew and have to go to work with on Monday.

Reaching down I fumbled to get to my purse. When I finally got a hold of it from where it had been stuck under a chair leg someone had moved on top of it, I pulled it out. Straightening, I looked around and smiled. Ok no one had seen that rather embarrassing event.

After I went to the bathroom and fixed my jeans I went back to our table. Except Ashley wasn't there, on the table was a note on a napkin in her handwriting.

_Hey Savvy,_

_Sorry, I met up with a guy. I just couldn't resist. You know me and my urges. ;) Anyway I'll call you tomorrow. Love ya. _

I sighed as I crushed the napkin and threw it in a trashcan. Stood up by my own best friend. Now that was sad. Grabbing my coat I headed out the door and down the street toward my car. I opened it up and got inside but when I tried to start the car it wouldn't work.

"Oh come on. Don't do this to me now. Cant I have at least something go right." I growled. Getting out of the car I slammed the door in disgust. I would have to walk the twelve blocks to my apartment and it wasn't the warmest of nights. Unlike other places and big cities, in Toledo, Ohio we did not really have taxis, and since her friend had ditched her. . . Well she was on her own.

It was almost midnight too, which meant that all the loonies and creeps would be out. Not to mention any troublemakers that thought it was fun to bother random people on the street. For a minute, I considered going back to my car and waiting until morning to walk back home. I laughed aloud. That would probably be worse. I kept walking but tried to speed up to travel the twelve blocks to my apartment.

Suddenly a scream ripped apart the night. I stopped, frozen. Cursing silently, I grabbed my pepper spray, and then tore off in the direction of the scream. _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_ I thought to myself. _There could be a gun involved or a serial killer. Why are you still heading towards it? _Still my legs would not slow down. I could here the struggle getting closer and I turned automatically into a small dead-end ally. I stopped short, hidden in the shadows.

Before me, three men were battling each other. Two were blond and looked like they came straight out of a Greek painting. Both were about six foot and looked like they could be brothers. The third was also a blonde-haired person but not a golden one like the others. He had a dirty rugged look about him though it did not detract form his looks. He was slightly taller than the brothers were and from what I could see since his back was to me, he was handsome. He was lean and muscular with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. The stranger had on all black from head to toe.

As I watched, the men charged each other and began to fight. I moved closer to the ally wall to avoid them. I stifled a scream as something flew by my head and embedded itself in the brick wall next to me. My heart was pounding rapidly as I watched the strangers throw what looked like ninja stars and other weapons at each other. I could no longer tell which one was which, and I was not even sure who the good guys were either.

Across the ally, I spotted a women lying on the ground crying. She must have been the one who screamed earlier. Looking around I tried to find a way to get to her and not run into the fight. Cautiously, I reached over and grabbed the strange metal star that was stuck in the wall.

"Ouch" I swore silently. A small drop a ruby formed on my finger. I reached up again but touched the middle this time. After a moment, I worked it out of the wall and gripped it tightly. I would only have one chance to cross the ally to get to the girl. Hopefully, I could do that without being caught. I watched as the tallest one whipped out a sword and started sparring with one of the brothers. It seemed the fight had been going on forever but really, it had only been a few minutes. It would be over soon but I had to get to that girl just in case.

I counted to three silently and then dashed for her but I wasn't fast enough. An arm went around my waist and another was at my throat.

"Hello honey." A low smooth voice said in my ear. "You come to join the party?" he asked. My stomach turned with nerves as I considered what to do. As I opened my mouth, he yanked back my head and exposed my neck. I small sound of pain escaped my lips.

"No," I said calmly. "I came to do this." I shoved my elbow into his stomach and spun around catching him off balance. In a second, I had him on the ground but he was not staying there. Grabbing my ankles, he pulled me down with him and tried to pin me underneath his body. I kicked up to catch him in the groin but he avoided it easily. I could feel myself losing ground quickly. My self-defense training deserted me and I started to thrash. Suddenly there was a sharp pain in my right hand and my attacker exploded in a cloud of golden dust. I laid there shocked as the tallest man plunged his sword into the second brother and he too dissolved into a pile of dust.

My hands were trembling as the stranger walked over to me and knelt down. For the first time I got a good look at his face and I gave a small smile. He had the darkest eyes I had ever seen, they were practically black, and his features were strong and square but with a softening around them that said he was kind. His hair was dirty blond and wavy own to his shoulders and his lips. Well his lips were soft and wonderfully sensual. My vision seemed to be getting hazy and I wondered if I was going to faint. Reaching up I traced a finger over his lips confirming my suspicions.

"Take care of the girl," I said letting my hand drop. Then my vision faded and everything went black.

**AN: Hope you like this story. It is an off shoot of the Dark Hunter series. Let me know what you think please Good or bad. I can stand constructive criticism. Thanks **


	2. Chapter 2

Raven looked down at the beautiful women on his couch. He should have dropped her off at a hospital with the other women, but for some reason he was compelled to bring her here. She looked so peaceful in the middle of the chaos of his living room. Less than three months ago, he had been transferred to the city of Toledo and he was still unpacking. He wasn't too thrilled about the change. Compared to New York, New Orleans, or other big cities, Toledo was a small fry.

He had spent the last three months fighting boredom instead of the soul sucking daimons he was sworn to protect humans from, but the goddess Artemis had moved him and so he went. Lately though, things were picking up since summer was on its way. The daimons did not like to unwrap their food so they tended to migrate south in the winter. Tonight he had found a group who had just come up north.

Thinking of earlier night brought his attention back to the strange women on his couch. She was a short woman with pure golden blond hair. The black tank top she wore and the tight denim pants that hugged her ass and form set off her curves perfectly. She was not extremely thin either, which was even better. He thought women these days were too skinny and needed more meat on their bones. Not to mention how she had fought off the daimon that had came after her. It took guts to do something like that.

Raven shook his head trying to dissipate the desire he felt. He was practically about to jump her and she was not even awake. Grabbing his phone, he went to make a call.

Light shimmered against the back of her eyelids as Silvia came awake slowly. Her head spun as she tried to figure out what exactly happened to her. The last things she remembered were heading home and a dark alley with a handsome stranger. What did she do with that dark stranger?

With a flash, her mind suddenly became all too clear and she remembered the horrible fight, a hurt woman, and the scary blond twins who had burst into shimmering golden dust at the hands of Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome. The problem is everything after that was blurry and confusing. She did not know where she was or if she had made it home the night before. With a groan, I turned and fell off whatever it was I had been laying on. My head hit the floor with a loud thud fallowed by the rest of my body and some creative swearing as my eyes flew open to see where I was.

The room was strange. I was laying between a white couch and a coffee table that was covered in ancient Celtic designs. A huge TV hung on the wall to my side while a beautiful stone statue of a goddess stood in the far corner. It was a cozy mix of old and new, and mixed in was the boxes that gave the room a touch of chaos. It looked like someone was moving. Whether they were moving in or out was impossible for her to tell.

Looking closer I noticed that many of the boxes held various nick-knacks, and one rather large one held what resembled canvases for paintings. Feeding into my curiosity I cautiously got up and started to pick my way towards the box. The first painting was a beautiful scene of the ocean and cliffs. It looked like it had been painted in some mystical spot in Ireland. Rock reached toward the sky that stormed and churned with black-gray clouds. Blue and green danced with the waves in the sweep of a primal dance that is as old as time, and on the cliffs stood a woman. She had her face to the sea and her arms uplifted as though she were a sorceress taking in and giving power to the storm. Her hair blew back, long and golden, from a face that was pure beauty. She could almost feel how her skin would feel soft, precious, and delicate. Yet a solid determination and strength surrounded her that defied both storm and appearance. However, the thing that really captured me the most, even amongst all that power and chaos of the scene, was the single tear that fell from her haunting blue eyes.

I was no expert on art but I could tell this was made with love and passion and most of all, sorrow. I reached down to let my fingers hover above the painting before I moved it to look at the next. Suddenly, I saw a flash of movement in the corner of my eye and whirled to attack, relying on pure instinct. Years of self-defense kicked in and I swung around with my leg. Instead of tripping them though, I ended up on my back with a sold weight pressing me to the floor. I looked up into the midnight eyes of the man from the night before.

Raven swore under his breath as all her lush curves and warmth was pressed under his body. He had not meant to pin her but he had reacted instinctually. A couple thousand years of battling the undead taught you to be cautious and quick. Now he was on top of a woman he had been fantasizing about since he had put her down on his couch earlier that night. To make it even worse, she began to wiggle underneath him, which only added to his already growing arousal.

Cursing again, he locked his hands around her wrists to keep her still. "Now," he said in a calm tone. "If you can behave and stop attacking me, I'll let you up so we can talk reasonably like normal people." He waited a moment while she stared at him and when she nodded, helped her to her feet.

Silvia felt dumbstruck. He had the most alluring voice she had ever herd. It was smooth and sensuous yet sharp when annoyed or angry. To make it worse he was hands down the hottest and most delectable man she had ever seen. As her cousin, Tabitha and friend Kate would say, he was a god, which is one-step above a powdered donut. By all rights in was impossible he exist and yet there he stood in front of her giving her a look that was irritated and implied she was slightly stupid. Wonder turned quickly to irritation and then into anger.

"Where am I? And who are you?" I asked him coldly. I saw the spark of anger in his eyes and I braced myself for it. Instead of snapping at me though, he stepped back and gestured towards the couch.

"Please," he said in that controlled, melodious voice. "Take a seat and I'll explain." I eyed him suspiciously but moved to sit down. He stood across from me, a warrior, that's what he looked like. With his dark blond hair and midnight eyes, with that strange voice and its faint accent, he seemed like a warrior. He was big too, not just tall. His shoulders were broad and perfectly tanned from what I could see, with a lean waist and a strong jaw that perfected his angular features. He really was a god, or at least a sculpture come to life.

Shaking her head a little, she tried to focus. "So? You said you would explain. The last thing I remember is you and some guys fighting and then they turned into dust, golden dust, and then the girl." I sat up straight with panic. "Is she ok? Did you get her to a hospital?" I asked worried.

"Calm down she is just fine. I dropped her off at the hospital and had a friend of mine make sure she gets the attention she needs. Last night walked into a rather, odd situation. It's hard to explain but I am not going to hurt you, I promise." He held up his hands in a gesture of peace and surrender.

Even though it was probably stupid she did believe him, but that did not explain everything. "So why am I here instead of at the hospital too? How come you took me back here to your," I looked around at the messy living room pilled with boxed. "House," I finished. A horrible thought suddenly popped into her head and I bolted up off the couch, horrified and angry. "If your some kind of a pervert who thinks saving a girl means your entitled to things then you can just- " she trailed off to the sound of his laughter, it was a deep belly down sound that was captivating and sexy.

"Little girl if I wanted to take advantage of you I would have already had you naked and sweaty on the floor by now." His easy smile was full of laughter and ego and she was lost between attraction and wanting to hit him, repeatedly. In the end anger won out.

"You're awfully sure of yourself. I'd like to see you try you big pompous, self absorbed, manhandling jerk!" I stomped around the coffee table to stand in front of him and yell even though he was almost a foot taller. Having to look up only added to my anger though. "I wouldn't be attracted, let alone be on the floor naked with a man like you if you were the last one on earth!" I said angrily. I silently admitted to myself that that was not quite true but I kept that to myself.

Too late, I saw the challenging glint in his eye and, like earlier, found myself pinned by his weight before I could even blink. I could feel all his weight and muscle pressed intimately against me. My stomach did a long liquid pull and a quiver started somewhere in middle of my body. His knee rested dangerously between my legs while my hands where pressed against his strong, hard chest. I swallowed and tried to push him away.

"Get away from me you big oaf," I said trying to push him back and sound convincing. My voice fell flat though as I tried to control the quivering in my body.

He lowered his head to brush his warms lips across my jaw and nip at my ear. Spikes of pleasure shot straight through me and I found my hands clutching his shirt now instead of pushing him away. 'We'll see who is the oaf, love," he whispered.

His lips captured mine and demanded. He did not bother to be gentle but instead he ravished, he took, and he stroked. A strangled moan escaped my lips as his thigh came up to rest between mine. Shamelessly I moved against him, demanded, and took right back from him.

His hands moved over my body, teasing and arousing until his hand finally slipped under my shirt to cup my breast. His lips left mine to bite and nip at the base of my throat as he stroked and teased my nipple with his thumb. Dimly I realized I was no longer standing and that I had wrapped my legs around his waist so that I could get closer to him. Pressing up against him I could feel his arousal press against my belly. My hands had his shirt undone so I cold trace his chest and abs. using my nails I lightly scraped over his abdomen through the cluster of small blond crisp hairs that led down until they disappeared into his jeans. As I did this, I nipped gently at his collarbone and was satisfied when he shivered and let out a low throaty moan.

He hands trailed down as he reached to unbutton my jeans and sense came flooding back in cold, harsh waves. Images of another time and another place flashed in my head as I remembered the last time I had done something rash and stupid. It had cost me my innocence and my heart and pride. I pushed back, managed to get my legs on the ground, and then wiggle my way around him.

_How could I?_ I thought numbly. I do not even know this man's name. He could be a serial killer. In fact, the night before I had seen him kill, or disintegrate, two people in an alley. How did I know if he wasn't the one who had hurt that woman in the first place?

Raven braced a hand on the wall as he tried to steady his breathing. He knew she would taste good but he had never expected _that, _all the passion and heat. He didn't expect that she would taste like heaven and ambrosia, or that he would lose control so easily. The problem was he hadn't meant to push her so far, though he wouldn't have minded going farther and ending up naked on the floor, but he had only wanted to give her a taste.

Now he could see her visibly tremble with anxiety and fear. He felt the waves of confusion and pain come off her and because he was empathic, he could know and share those feeling, but not the thoughts behind them. He suddenly felt like the worlds biggest jerk. He hated knowing she was afraid of him. He tucked that thought in his mind to think about later.

He ran his hand through his hair and stepped forward only to see her flinch. 'Jesus, look I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. Gods, I didn't mean to be so forceful. I won't hurt you." This time when he slowly moved forward, she let him put his hand on her shoulder so he could spin her around to face him. She was a little pale but she had stopped shaking and seemed steadier, but the haunted look in here eyes told him that the problem ran deeper than what had just happened between them.

Cursing under his breath, he traced her cheekbone with his finger. Her skin was so soft and beautiful. He didn't want to think about anyone hurting her. "What is your name?" he asked quietly.

"Silvia Parthenope. What is yours?" I asked back.

"Raven Cahir. Why don't you sit down? I will get you something to eat. I have a friend who is stopping by later who might be able to take you home. Ok?" he asked dropping his hand from her cheek. I nodded mutely. Why was he being so sweet now? He was arrogant one minute, passionate the next, and very sweet after it all. I shook my head trying to clear out all the confusion and images of another man, another night. A night that hadn't ended well, one that ended with tears, fear, and a desperation she swore herself she would never feel again.

He brought her pizza and pop and for the next hour, they sat in relative silence as they ate and watched a random movie on the TV. Just after she had finished her third peace and she was starting to relax and enjoy the movie, there was a knock on the door. Raven went over and opened it to greet the newcomer. I could not see his face but his body and voice sent chills over my skin. Something in the back of my brain was nagging me and I tried to place where I had herd that voice before.

I was concentrating so hard, on where I remembered it that I didn't even hear any of the conversation until Raven gestured for the man to step inside. I nearly gasped. He too, would have been rated a god on Tabitha's male rating system. He radiated sex appeal. With midnight black hair and sexy sunglasses he was even taller than Raven. He was well-built and decked out in lack with the hint of a dragon tattoo peeking out from under his right sleeve.

Suddenly fire racked by body. It snapped and swirled through my stomach and radiated out through my system into my eyes, lips, and fingertips. My body convulsed and twisted as though it were being torn apart. I fell off the couch as a scream was ripped out of me and then a cool feeling started to ease away the pain. It started from my lower back and gently moved outward. It was as if a wind moved through me with a sigh. When my vision wasn't blurry anymore, I saw the two men who knelt over me with worry on their faces. I felt the tears that ran down my face drip onto the soft carpet floor.

With shock, I remembered where I had seen the newcomer's face and voice. I remembered a life and a time that was not mine. That used to be mine. I remembered brothers. A whisper floated past my ear, or was it in my mind?

"_The one with fortune and one without, in another life from thousands of years ago, to change in death but remain a mirror image_."

More tears seeped from my eyes as I reached up and cupped the face of the young man I had called my brother eleven thousand years ago.

"Acheron, is that you?"

**AN: Sorry it took so long to write post again but its hard to write regularly. I hope you like the chapter and if you see any grammar errors just let me know. PLEASE REVIEW! Good or bad I would like to know your thoughts so I can improve it and add any ideas you have. **

**-B. T.- **


End file.
